'Christmas star' will shine tonight

The sky will be lit tonight by a heavenly phenomenon similar to that which may have led the wise men of the Nativity to the birth of Christ, a renowned Irish astronomer has claimed.

David Moore, editor of Astronomy and Space magazine in Dublin, believes his theories about deep space prove we celebrate Christmas on the wrong day – it should be September 15.

Star gazers will tonight see an optical illusion of an ‘enlarged’ moon, accompanied by the brilliant light of Jupiter just to its right.

“It will be a truly wonderful sight. We will see this very bright star next to the moon, and people will be very curious,” Mr Moore said.

“If people think that it is the Christmas Star then the answer is, in effect, it sort of is.”

Mr Moore believes that the Star of Bethlehem – which led the wise men bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh to the stable where Jesus was born – was also due to the prominence of Jupiter.

He said the planet would have lined up with Saturn in front of the constellation of Pisces, causing the phenomenon which happens just once every 900 years.

And the theory leads him to believe that Jesus was actually born seven years before western calendars record.

“If you do the sums, then Jesus was actually born on Tuesday evening on September 15, 7BC – and I for one truly believe that,” he said.

Mr Moore, also chairman of Astronomy Ireland, said tonight’s phenomenon would be best visible when the moon rises over the horizon because an optical illusion makes it look much larger.

“Jupiter will look like a brilliant dot beside it – almost like an aircraft does at night when it is in the distance approaching an airport.

“Anyone interested in the aesthetic qualities of the stars will be fascinated by this but it’s not a thing for scientists,” he said.

The phenomenon, which happens every few years, will first be seen to the north east.